Do PS3 gamers appreciate art more than others?

According to Journey developer and co-founder of thatgamecompany Jenova Chen, PlayStation gamers are more mature and appreciate the aesthetic nature of artistic titles more than owners of Microsoft or Nintendo consoles.

Does this appeal more to PS3 owners? In an interview with VentureBeat, Jenova Chen has looked at the library of games offered on the PSN and decided that "Sony has a more artistic and adult-focused taste."Chen said that Sony "cares about how grown-ups feel towards their games." The two best selling XBLA titles are Castle Crashers and Trials Evolution, while Journey is the fastest selling title on the PSN. Does this support Chen's claim? Castle Crashers and Trials Evolution may not fit into Chen's definition of "artistic", or serve the highbrow audience of Journey, but is it fair to imply that Xbox and Nintendo gamers are less intellectual than their PlayStation counterparts as a result?
According to VentureBeat, Microsoft and Nintendo did not wish to comment on the claims, but Sony had no problem agreeing with Chen. Senior director of PlayStation digital platforms Jack Buser told VentureBeat that "our primary PSN audience is indeed more adult, and many of our best-selling titles appeal to this demographic."
Buser goes on to say that many PlayStation and PSN exclusive titles have themes that require players to think about a deep and immersive gameplay experience. This theory is highlighted by the success of games such as Flower, Heavy Rain and Journey - according to Buser.
Chen's final claim is that "the player who owns a PlayStation 3 [and is playing PSN titles] is more likely to be interested in artistic games compared to Wii and Xbox 360." With no stats to support these claims, it's probably fairer to say that gamers are more drawn to a title that looks great and offers a good gameplay experience, rather than what looks to be an "artistic" title, but that's just our opinion.
What do you think of Chen's claims? Does PlayStation breed intellectual gamers? Is it fair to state that Sony cares about the adult gaming market more than Microsoft or Nintendo? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

I also think that the initial high price of the console, and the fact that it was the first Blu-Ray player on the market, is a reason for an older player base that appreciate more "artsy" games.

At least that is the impression i get here in Norway, i know many gamers here, and the younger ones have 360's and the more mature ones have a PS3.

This is true, but I feel it is for a different reason. Kids today love cross game chat and they prefer the 360 for online gaming. The PS3 has so many more single player games, and as an adult, I just do not have time to play Call of Duty or Gears of War online for hours at a time.

I would say the average PS3 age is probably around 22-24, where the average 360 owner is something like 15-17. That leading to the PS3 owners appreciating fancy art styles. Or I could be completely wrong.

I do agree that there are more people on PS3 who enjoy the artistic side of video games. I mean that is one of my favorite things about certain games. I like to consider myself rather artsy. That said there are plenty of people like that on other consoles and pc (just maybe not as high a percentage), and PS3 still has its fair share of people who just play Call of Duty and really don't give a $#@! about art or story or emotional experiences.

I do agree that there are more people on PS3 who enjoy the artistic side of video games. I mean that is one of my favorite things about certain games. I like to consider myself rather artsy. That said there are plenty of people like that on other consoles and pc (just maybe not as high a percentage), and PS3 still has its fair share of people who just play Call of Duty and really don't give a $#@! about art or story or emotional experiences.

Oh of course I appreciate art I didn't take Graphics Communications in HS for four yrs for nothing lol really though I like seeing the vivid colors and scenery these type of games I take slow to enjoy every little thing in the game

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I know that Journey is a great game and everything but to say that PlayStation gamers are more mature than everyone else is a bit ridiculous. I've lost count of the numbers of times I've browsed the comments for the official PlayStation page on a social networking site like Facebook and ended up seeing a clear majority of people posting the same old console war bull$#@! as well as the occasional sexist jokes and whatnot whenever a woman is mentioned.

And of course Sony would agree with him. They've tried selling the same "hardcore/mature gamer" image in the past countless times. No offense, but Jenova Chen should just stick to making games. I don't think he would be singing the same tune if Journey and his other games weren't PlayStation exclusives.

I think the reason Sony simply offers a wider variety of games is because they own a lot more studios, and they're a larger corporation overall, which allows for them to take more risks as far as their video game division is concerned.

I find Chen's statement easy to believe. PS3 has more games, especially downloadable games, that have less to do with gameplay and more to do with the experience. I like a game that is more interested in emotional response, which is what art is meant to do. The prettiest graphics ever made aren't going to sustain a feeling if they aren't combined with an insightful design. A military FPS simply doesn't take time away from shooting long enough to leave room for more than a token attempt at drama - at least, not today...the early "Medal of Honor" games managed to do both pretty well. One of the reasons I still haven't bought a 360 yet is that I like this type of artistic game and MS just seems more interested in catering to the action gamer. The Xbox has always felt like a console marketed to people who used to beat up gamers. The Wii could actually be a PERFECT fit for these games if it could get away from the family-casual genre for awhile. The trailer for the lost Wii game "Sadness" looked promising in this respect. Each console has its attempts at the more adult-experience games, of course, but I think PS3 has done a better job with them.

I know that Journey is a great game and everything but to say that PlayStation gamers are more mature than everyone else is a bit ridiculous. I've lost count of the numbers of times I've browsed the comments for the official PlayStation page on a social networking site like Facebook and ended up seeing a clear majority of people posting the same old console war bull$#@! as well as the occasional sexist jokes and whatnot whenever a woman is mentioned.

And of course Sony would agree with him. They've tried selling the same "hardcore/mature gamer" image in the past countless times. No offense, but Jenova Chen should just stick to making games. I don't think he would be singing the same tune if Journey and his other games weren't PlayStation exclusives.

I think the reason Sony simply offers a wider variety of games is because they own a lot more studios, and they're a larger corporation overall, which allows for them to take more risks as far as their video game division is concerned.

You got suckered into the yellow journalism from the author. Chen never said that other console gamers are "Immature" but that Sony has an adult oriented fidelity with games such as Flower and Journey that take a more artistic approach and are appreciated for what they are.

I remember the day I decided to purchase a PS3: I was seated in my plump loveseat, made of the finest silk, a glass of plum wine beside me on a table of fine mahogany, the latest translation of Tolstoy's War and Peace (which I have read five times) opened in my hands, and Mozart's 9000th looming in the background like the gentle calling of a lovebird in Spring as the wonderful Mona Lisa gazed over my shoulder, over my reading, over the great abyss of this sordid world. I had read in the papers of the tragedies endured by what is now referred to in texts as "The Great Console War," reading of losses suffered by young, ideal, and insufferably stupid men.

I did not wish to take sides--I remember the thought sending me a cold shiver as I sipped from the wineglass. The 360 had been making great advances in the North Americas, while in Japan and Europe the Playstation 3 seemed to have held down many territories. The Wii was an army none wished to contend, and so was excluded from many of the skirmishes save a bullet here and misfire elsewhere. The headlines, I recall, were fantastic in their hyperbole.

I knew that my withdrawal from the war could not last long. My own friends had been turned against one another, and I could not go a day without one of their knockings sounding at my door, calling to me from the outside: "Whose side will you choose?"

And only after much turmoil did I know the side I must take. For while all were great in their own exemplary traits, it was but one that called to my inner artist, sung to my hidden muse, and evoked in me that longing for the world that only the great paintings had been able to achieve. Thus it was that I chose the Playstation 3. Why? Because $#@! you that's why, 360 sucks, Wii (LOL!), what are you gay?

as an artist... it would be stupid to claim that i appreciate art more on the PS3... all of the consoles have effing amazing artistic games... ($#@!, Behemoth alone can stand up right now and take a bow for the 360... im a sucker for 2D animation) as far as developers... thats a different subject... i think Playstation Devs can "play around" a little bit more with less restriction from sony (psn regulations), as opposed to MS (and XBL requirements and such) so obviously PS3 is going to see s little bit more... "creative" styled games (and "experiences" 4am, Linger in shadows...)

its a massive generalisation to be honest anyway. you could equally argue that as the 'underdog' this gen MS had a more hardcore following, that tend to be older.

it would be just as bollocks in reality, this far into the gen.

the most you could really say is that price still continues to have an influence, and that initially the ps3 sold to an older market. but that could be countered with the mainstream popularity of sony's brandname from the ps2 era.

but are they 'more artsy'? no. its akin to asking if they are 'more pretentious', taller, or smarter. its a stupid question, and one that will never really be answered.

the idea that LIVE has more kids, for example, likely only stems from headsets being packaged as standard, and therefore the kids being heard. its easier (and more likely) for an adult to own a bluetooth headset. unless there's actually demographic data available i don't think any of these questions will be answered.

This is true, but I feel it is for a different reason. Kids today love cross game chat and they prefer the 360 for online gaming. The PS3 has so many more single player games, and as an adult, I just do not have time to play Call of Duty or Gears of War online for hours at a time. I would say the average PS3 age is probably around 22-24, where the average 360 owner is something like 15-17. That leading to the PS3 owners appreciating fancy art styles. Or I could be completely wrong.

I'd agree to a point. I've yet to play Journey but, I've played both Flower & Flow. Both are very "artsy" and are very original. As both a PS3 & 360 owner, the pick of the ltter with respect to art goes to Sony... I'd like to think they take more chances with their exclusive titles. I felt that games like Bastion and the countless other exclusive Live Arcade games, as great as they are, are familiar experiences. I'm 30 and most of my friends/peers either own both or one system... the one usually being a PS3. My few friends that only own a 360 are Call Of Duty addicts who scoff at the mention of games other than Call Of Duty and a system other than a 360... Those same friends aren't the most articulate either. So I think Chen might have hit it square on the head in relation to my personal experiences.

While the PS3 may have more varied games such as Folklore, Journey, Valkyria Chronicles etc etc; but for the most part, not many people are buying these games - as good as they are.

So maybe a more correct statement would be that the PS3's development teams appreicate art more than profit (to a VERY general sense ); but I don't think it's true to say that about PS3 gamers, for the most part at least.

...it's probably fairer to say that gamers are more drawn to a title that looks great and offers a good gameplay experience, rather than what looks to be an "artistic" title, but that's just our opinion.

I go with this.

"When I was 12, I milked my eel into a pot of turtle stew. I flogged the one-eyed snake, I skinned my sausage. I made the bald man cry into the turtle stew, which I believe my sister ate. At least I hope she did."

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